Douglas County coroner maintains suicide as cause of death for Castle Rock teen

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CASTLE ROCK, Colo. -- Douglas County Coroner Jill Romann told Holly Moore’s family on Tuesday night that she still believes the 19-year-old committed suicide despite serious questions raised by an independent medical expert hired by the family who said injuries on girl’s body indicate otherwise.

“The more we investigate, the more indications we get that this was indeed a homicide, not a suicide," Dr. Selma Eikelenboom told FOX31 investigative reporter Heidi Hemmat last month.

Eikelenboom based her opinion on a number of factors, including what she said is a “blunt force injury” on Holly’s chin, an X-ray that showed she had a fractured collarbone and suspicious blood and body fluid stains in Holly’s bedroom.

On Tuesday, Romann held a meeting with the Moore family to discuss Holly’s case. Ray and April Moore hoped the meeting would result in some sort of action in Holly’s case, such as the coroner changing the cause of Holly’s death from suicide to homicide or undetermined.

Instead, the Moores said Romann, who is not a doctor, spent much of the meeting discrediting Eikelenboom and questioning her credentials. In an audio recording. Romann is heard saying, “(Eikelenboom) is not, I don’t believe, a physician.”

Eikelenboom maintains she earned her medical degree in Europe and is a former coroner of Amsterdam.

Romann went on to say Eikelenboom’s findings were not significant and she still believes Holly killed herself and therefore is unwilling to change the death certificate.

Ray and April Moore left the coroner’s meeting frustrated and disappointed, but not surprised.

"It's been disappointing from Day 1," Ray Moore said.

Still, Ray Moore vows he will never give up his fight to prove Holly Moore was the victim of a crime.

“It’s my daughter’s life that ended, and I plan to get her justice," he said.

Ray Moore also believes there are other families who have experienced the same “injustice” and he’s encouraging them to contact him.

Romann told the Moore family regardless of what she believes, ultimately, it’s up to the Castle Rock Police Department to reopen the case. Castle Rock police Sgt. Tim Ratcliff said “there is no evidence of criminal activity.”

A spokeswoman for the police department has not responded to an email request to release evidence in Holly Moore’s case to the family so they can have it tested for DNA.

Meantime, the Moore family is still trying to raise money to pay for DNA testing on other items that were collected by Eikelenboom. To donate, visit the Holly Moore memorial Facebook page.